Frequently Asked Questions

The Venous Institute of Buffalo specializes in all aspects of venous health. With a focus on providing compassionate and comprehensive care, Dr. Vasquez is nationally and internationally recognized for his expertise, teaching, and research in the treatment of venous insufficiency. Whether you’re suffering from painful varicose veins, embarrassed by unsightly spider veins, at risk for developing deep vein thrombosis, or in need of care for other venous disorders, contact The Venous Institute of Buffalo and let Dr. Vasquez and staff put their experience and expertise to work for you.

Your first appointment at The Venous Institute of Buffalo will start with a fact-finding mission, where your history and symptoms will be reviewed. You will be asked to complete several health questionnaires that will be referenced during your comprehensive evaluation. Depending on your condition and diagnosis, one or more conservative or corrective treatment options will be recommended.

Typically patients with a documented medical problem or a positive result from an ultrasound scan will usually receive reimbursement for a percentage of the treatment cost from their insurance provider. Cosmetic treatments are generally not covered by insurance. The Venous Institute of Buffalo is on par with many insurance providers and HMO’s and will work with you to ensure you receive the most reimbursement possible.

When you arrive for your procedure there is some paperwork to complete. You will meet with Dr. Vasquez before getting started. Once the procedure is underway, it takes approximately 20 to 40 minutes to complete. After the procedure is complete, you may be asked to remain lying down for 15-20 minutes. From start to end you can expect to be in the office for about one hour.

Most patients return to work the next day – although some patients do opt to go back to work on the same day as their procedure. This mostly depends on the nature of your job and may be discussed specifically with us when you are here.

Yes! We want you to be up, active and walking from the day of your procedure. You may resume most activities immediately following your procedure, with the exception of very heavy lifting and vigorous aerobic exercise. We request that you wait 3-5 days before returning to vigorous exercise.

The follow-up ultrasound examination will be scheduled in approximately 1 week after your procedure. You may not fly and are advised against taking long car journeys until after this ultrasound is completed. When you are cleared to travel, we recommend the use of your graduated compression stockings during travel as this helps minimize blood clotting risk associated with long-distance travel.

No. For a variety of reasons, treatments are confined to one leg at a time, usually scheduled several days apart.

Most patients notice an improvement in their overall leg symptoms within the first 1-2 weeks. This will depend somewhat on the extent of your vein disease and the results you are hoping to obtain. It takes up to 3-4 months to see maximum improvement.

The veins that we treat should remain closed in the long term. However, there is no “cure” for venous reflux disease. Other veins and other symptoms may develop in other areas of the leg over time. There are things that you can do to optimize the results of treatment, and these can be discussed at the time of your visit.